TEMECULA: Ticketing of bikers draws criticism

Some area business owners are concerned about what Southern
California bikers might be saying about Old Town Temecula after a
spike in citations issued to motorcyclists in the last month.

There is also fear the city's reputation as a destination for
two-wheeling motorists may be damaged, which could in turn damage
the Old Town economy.

In September, police officers cracked down on motorcyclists by
writing citations for violations ranging from riders wearing
improper helmets to bikes missing mud flaps. Law enforcement
officials say about 52 tickets were issued in the area -- 39 to
motorcyclists.

Ron Muir, the co-owner of Slap'n Leather Motorcycle Gear,
addressed the City Council this month to tell them the fallout is
already being felt by restaurants and shops. Muir, who with Carl
Hoffman has operated the business for 15 months, said there are
100,000 motorcyclists within riding distance of Temecula, which has
been a destination for their cruises as well as charitable
events.

"The problem is that they don't think they are welcome here
anymore," Muir said. He said that besides receiving citations,
riders were verbally directed by officers to "stay out of
Temecula."

As a result, Muir said, many motorcyclists are boycotting
Temecula, a destination they frequented for food, drinks,
sightseeing and shopping.

"People come into this town and spend a lot of money, but they
are not going to come in if they have to be looking over their
shoulder," Hoffman said in an interview this week. "This is a
destination town where people want to come and relax."

During the last three weekends of September, police officers
were assigned to focus on Old Town, specifically to cite
motorcyclists who were violating the law, said Temecula police Lt.
Jeff Kubel.

"We had some of the business owners voice concerns about
motorcycles with loud pipes disturbing visitors in Old Town and I
directed the officers to pay more attention to the motorcycles,"
Kubel said last week.

During those three weekends, he said, officers wrote 39 tickets
to motorcyclists.

Seventeen of the citations were issued to riders who were not
wearing approved helmets, 15 were given to motorcyclists who had
modified or overly loud exhaust pipes and two were issued to riders
who had no front license plate. Two cyclists were cited for expired
registration on their bikes, two for driver's license violations
and one for a missing mud flap on the back wheel, Kubel said.

"In hindsight, it would have been better to be more specific, so
we didn't chase people away," the lieutenant said. "I think the
intentions should have been better explained to the officers."

Assistant City Manager Aaron Adams said that since the issues
were raised by Muir at the last council meeting, the city and
Temecula Police Chief Jerry Williams have worked to address the
concerns.

"We want folks to know that they are welcome here," Adams said.
"From a consumer and economic standpoint, these people spend money
in Temecula and should not be cut off, and we agree."

Muir agrees with Adams that the chief has been forthright about
how the rash of tickets may have driven motorcyclists away. He said
the police chief, a rider himself, has gone as far as chiming in on
biker blogs to reassure motorcyclists that they can and should
return to Temecula.

However, Muir said he thinks there are still forces in the city
that want a continuation of the heavy-handed ticketing of
bikers.

"It's political correctness gone stupid," he said.

Rich Quaid, one of four brothers who own Temecula Quaid Harley
Davidson, said the most recent uproar has been a topic among the
Harley faithful who come to his business.

"Our official position is that if these (motorcyclists) are
doing something illegal, then we can't help them," Quaid said. "But
while we support enforcing the law, we don't support that people
are being told that they aren't wanted in Temecula."

Quaid said that he heard reports that about 20 of his customers
received tickets one weekend in September.

"These bikers aren't Mongols," Quaid said, referring to the
outlaw biker gang that recently made headlines when numerous
members were arrested. "These are firefighters, police officers,
retired military, doctors and lawyers who are riding into
town."

The blame for the raids has been directed at Old Town merchants
who have complained about the conduct of some motorcyclists.

Doc Laine, owner of Doc's Temecula Traders on Front Street, said
he has been accused of being the reason the city's policy toward
motorcyclists shifted into heavier-handed enforcement.

"I've been saying for years that the police need to watch the 1
percent of motorcyclists who give the other 99 percent of bikers a
bad name." Laine said Thursday. "If there is a directive given to
the police to ticket every biker in Old Town, well, that … didn't
come from me."

Laine said he supports law-abiding motorcyclists who visit
Temecula and supports the businesses in Old Town who depend on the
dollars that ride in on two wheels. He also empathizes with the
anger those business owners felt after the rash of tickets was
issued.

"They have a right, if this was profiling, to scream their heads
off," Laine said.